Pump



s. E. BARNHART 2,877,710

PUMP

March 17, 1959 2 Sheets-She et 1 FIG 2.

Filed Aug. 19, 1957 FIG ill; m V 3 I. O 2 v 3 4 4 4 FIG 4.

- FIG 6 T .R A H RN OR T NB W. Nf-L E G R 0 E G ATTORNEYS 'Mai ch 1 7,1959 ca. E. BARNHART I 2,877Q710 PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet'. 2

Filed Aug. 19, 1957 fiewyelfflamlmhi BY WM VM ATTORNEY United StatesPatent PUMP George E. Barnhart, Altadena, Calif.

Application August 19, 1957, Serial No. 694,465

6 Claims. (Cl. 103-2) This invention has to do with fluid pumps havingscrewtype impellers.

The application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No.166,118, filed June 5, 1950, now abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel, improved screwimpeller-type pump useful for pumping a single fluid or for pumping andcombining two or more fluids. In this connection it is an object toprovide a pump which can be used for pumping liquid through one inletand gas through another to give a combined stream of liquid and gas.

Further it is an object to provide a pump which is adjustable so that itcan be used for pumping either a single fluid or two fluids.

A further object is to provide a pump of the type; ind i cated whichrequires no packing glands of any kind.

Another object is to provide a high volume, low pressure type pumpcapable of pumping solids mixed with liquids, liquids alone, or dividedsolids alone.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and thefollowing description. Referring to the drawing, which is forillustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a tank showing the pump of theinvention attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional elevational view of a pumpembodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the impeller in adifferent position.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modified form ofcasing.

Fig. 6 is a central sectional view of a coupling member.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the impeller of Figs. 2 and 3 showingthe same turned 90".

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of another form of impeller.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9--9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modification.

More particularly describing the invention, by way of example, the pumpembodying the invention, indicated by 10, is shown mounted on the wall11 of a small tank 12, such as an aquarium partially filled with Water13. The pump is supported by a metal bracket 15 having a lowerbifurcated band 16 which encircles the pump and is fastened by a screw17. The middle portion of the bracket may have a thumb screw clamp 20 sothat the device may be attached to the wall of the aquarium 12. Theupper portion of the bracket 15 supports an electric motor 23, the shaft24 of which is connected to a shaft 25 of the pump impeller by acoupling 26 of resilient material.

Referring to Figs. 2-4, the pump comprises a casing or housing 30 havinga cylindrical chamber 31 therein which is open at the bottom providingan inlet opening 32. While the casing is shown as glass, it may be madefrom a variety of materials. Near its other end the casing is providedwith an outlet or discharge tube 33 which defines an outlet passage 34.At its upper end the body 30 is reduced in cross-section and is providedwith a bore 35 of smaller cross-sectional area than the chamber 31.Between chamber 31 and bore 35 the interior wall of the casing convergesas shown at 36.

Within the casing 30 I provide a screw-type impeller 40 which comprisesa central body 41 upon which is formed a spiral flange or screw thread42 which terminates at its upper end in an annular deflector flange 43.The periphery of this flange is complementary to the configuration ofthe converging wall section 36 of the casing so that the impeller can bemoved to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3. I prefer to formthe spiral flange or screw thread of the propeller with a relativelyflat peripheral surface 45 and to make the impeller of such size that itfits the casing relatively closely but is free to turn therein. Thus theimpeller surface 45 serves as the only bearing surface necessary forradial support of the impeller in the casing.

It should be noted that the bore 35 is considerably larger in diameterthan the shaft, thereby forming an annular space or second inlet passagethrough which fluid can enter as will subsequently appear.

I prefer to mount the impeller so that it can be adjusted axially, andwhile this may be done in a variety of ways, in Figs. 1 and 6 I show aresilient universal coupling 26 as a simple means of accomplishing this.This coupling is formed of rubber or other resilient material and has ahollow, somewhat bulbous central section 50 and end sections 51 and 52.The end sections have bores 53 and 54, respectively, receiving the motorshaft 24 and impeller shaft 25, respectively. Metal clamps or clips 55serve to secure the shafts in adjusted position.

It is a particular feature of my invention that I am able to pump afluid through the pump and at the same time combine it with anotherfluid. For example, if the pump is to be used for aerating water in anaquarium as shown in Fig. l, the lower end is submerged in the water andthe impeller adjusted vertically to the position of Fig. 2 with theupper end thereof in the region of the outlet 34 or even slightly abovethe outlet but not sufiiciently high to close the upper end of the pumpcasing.

In this position when the impeller is rotated water is raised in thecasing 30 and flows out of the passage 34. At the same time air is drawnin through the bore 35 and mixed with the water which flows out passage34. The flange 43 at the upper end of the impeller has a centrifugalimpelling effect and hinders axial flow of the pumped liquidtherebeyond.

If the impeller is raised to the position in which it is shown in Fig.3, thereby in effect closing the passage through bore 35, the pump canthen be used merely for delivering the single liquid in which the lowerend is immersed.

In the form of the invention above described, the outlet conduit or tube33 has been shown as extending substantially radially of the chamber 31.However, I may provide an outlet passage which is approximatelytangential to the chamber or one in which the axis thereof is parallelto a line tangential to the chamber but oifset from a radius of thechamber parallel to said tangential line. This latter is shown in Fig. 5where the casing of the pump is indicated by numeral 30a and the outlettube by numeral 33a.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I show a modified form of impeller, indicated by 60,comprising a body 61 having a screw flange 62 thereon which is similarto flange 42 of impeller 40 except that at its upper end the flangediminishes in pitch and terminates in a flat end portion 63 which isspaced from the upper flange 64. I find that this form of impeller,particularly when used in the form of casing shown in Fig. 5, has atendency to increase circular flow of the pumped liquid at the upper endof the impeller and thereby facilitate its ejection through the outletpassage.

While I have shown a pump wherein the pump shaft is freely received inpassing through the casing, and an annular space is provided around theshaft through which fluid may enter, I contemplate that other suitableinlet means may be provided in the casing independently of the regionwhere the shaft passes through the casing. For example, in Fig. I show aconstruction wherein the pump impeller 60, previously described, isshown with a shaft 71 journaled in an opening 72 in the pump casing 73so that no passage is left along the shaft for entrance of fluid. Inthis form of the invention I provide an auxiliary inlet, designated 75,which is located axially above or beyond the outlet designated 76.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 10, rotation of theimpeller will serve to draw in fluid through the bottom of the casingand expel it through the outi let 76. At the same time fluid is drawn inthrough inlet opening 75 to be mixed with fluid being pumped by theimpeller which enters through the main inlet 78.

As previously indicated, the flange 64 on the impeller serves to hinderor prevent flow of fluid axially of the casing beyond the flange andconsequently, even though I have shown the pump in an upright position,it will also function in inclined or horizontal positions. Also, while Ihave shown a cylindrical casing and impeller, these may be conoidal inshape or of other shapes known to the art.

While I have shown and described preferred forms of my invention Icontemplate that various changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a pump, a housing providing a cylindrical chamber adapted to bedisposed upright, said housing having an inlet opening and having anoutlet opening spaced axially of the housing above the inlet opening, arotatable, unidirectional flow, screw-type impeller in said chamber,said impeller extending from a point substantially below said outletopening to a region opposite said outlet opening and having deflectormeans thereon at said region for hindering axial flow of fluidtherebeyond, said housing having a third opening above said outletopening extending axially of said chamber and terminating axially aboveand spaced from said deflector means, and a shaft connected to saidimpeller and extending through said third opening, said shaft being ofsubstantially less cross-sec tional area than said third opening anddefining with said housing an open annular fluid passage through saidhousing.

2. A pump as set forth in claim 1 in which said deflector meanscomprises a horizontal flange at the end of the impeller adjacent theoutlet opening.

3. A pump as set forth in claim 1 in which the cylindrical chamber is oflessening cross-sectional area above the outlet opening.

4. A pump as set forth in claim 1 in which the cylindrical chamber is oflessening cross-sectional area above the outlet opening, and in whichsaid impeller is adjustable exially to a position such that saiddeflector means engages the chamber wall above said outlet openingthereby closing communication between said third opening and said outletopening.

5. In a pump, a housing providing a chamber having a circularcross-section, said housing having an inlet opening into said chamberand having an outlet opening from the chamber, said openings beingspaced axially of the chamber, a rotatable, unidirectional flow,screw-type impeller in said chamber between said inlet opening and saidoutlet opening, and a deflector flange on said impeller in the region ofsaid outlet opening for inducing flow of fluid out said outlet openingand for hindering flow of fluid axially of the chamber beyond saidoutlet opening, said housing having a third opening positioned beyondsaid outlet opening and beyond said deflector and thereby providing anopen, and unobstructed auxiliary fluid inlet passage of appreciablecross-sectional area from the exterior of said housing to said deflectorflange, the diameter of said deflector flange being sufficiently lessthan the diameter of said chamber in the region of said outlet openingto permit a substantial flow of fluid from said third opening past saiddeflector flange to said outlet opening.

6. A pump as set forth in claim 5 in which said impeller is adjustableaxially of said chamber to position said deflector flange closer to saidthird opening and in which said housing is formed to provide a regionbetween said outlet opening and said third opening of a crosssectionalsize to be engaged by said deflector in adjusted position of saidimpeller whereby to close communication between said third opening andsaid outlet opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS268,606 Barbour Dec. 5, 1882 1,683,010 Anderson Sept. 4, 1928 1,778,589Eerkes Oct. 14, 1930 2,232,648 Allen Feb. 18, 1941 2,448,717 JeficockSept. 7, 1948

